Scorched Ooo
by Fiery Crusader
Summary: Bubblegum's actions from "The Cooler" have infuriated the Fire Princess for the last time. Lives were unfortunately lost after the last incident and now both of their civilizations are on the brink of war. Will the fate of Ooo survive this impending conflict?
1. A Tragic Start

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Adventure Time.

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><p>The young fire ruler expected having a typical day at work. She expected mundane hearings at her throne room, the typical bickering from her imprisoned father, and reading and writing tons of paperwork. However, today was different. When she and her citizens began to the start their lives in the morning, a sudden disaster disrupted their daily routine. In what seemed like a rare occurrence, the climate of the Fire Kingdom was experiencing a significant decline in temperature.<p>

At first, the effects were relatively negligible. Fire citizens only experienced chills but were able to tolerate them to an extent. Then, another factor came into play when the fire elementals discovered their flames shrinking which affected their weight and overall appearance. As the day continued, the ground shook from a series of tremors that left massive cracks on the streets to the inside of people's homes. Pockets of cold air bursted from these ruptures and instantly became an immediate danger. With the public now in mass hysteria, Flame Princess knew from that moment that something had to be done.

Inside the Fire palace, she arranged an emergency meeting with her three brothers along with her champion Cinnamon Bun. Her civilization was quickly losing heat as the magma infrastructure faded both in color and temperature. The situation was becoming dire as the leader told her family members to brainstorm ideas for the immediate crisis. Unfortunately, none of them were able to provide suggestions that were satisfactory to her liking. A massive group hug to exchange body heat was out of the question, and blowing up the Candy Kingdom was just as ridiculous.

Flame Princess was a bit disappointed that her pastry knight remained silent during the meeting. She was hoping he would think of a brilliant plan, but reconsidered when she realized CB was not a fire elemental. He was just her protector, her trusted bodyguard who she could count on in terms of combat. Time was running out though. The condition of the kingdom was deteriorating even faster as the floor beneath them began to split in certain areas and emit pockets of cold air. Fortunately, no one was lost as they escaped to a safer section of the palace. After the group recomposed themselves, FP concluded to herself that she needed to seek help from an unlikely ally.

* * *

><p>The pastry guardian escorted his benevolent leader towards an elevator deep within the palace. This would give people direct access to the central magma core that provides the essential heat for the fire citizens. Only immediate family members were given such high clearance along with high ranked officials. Considering the circumstances, FP made a rare exception against her traditions and entrusted Princess Bubblegum to troubleshoot the crisis.<p>

Their walk together towards the core was rather unpleasant as Bubblegum made vain attempts to befriend the fiery woman. She tried to be conversational by comparing their similarities as rulers, but was met with little success. In the end, FP was adamant that they were mutual and continued the mission.

Before the two monarchs were about to reach the core, PB stated that her scientific equipment picked up unusual readings behind a certain set of blast doors. FP was very skeptical at first since it led to the weapons stockpile, but was convinced enough to investigate. Once again, the fire monarch went against her traditions for the sake of preserving the welfare of her people.

A small group of mechanized guardians were stationed inside the room known as the Sleeping Fire Giants. Only the royal members of the Fire Kingdom knew of their existence and the story behind their origins as FP explained with singing.

During the musical history lecture, the candy princess began her secret mission and began to disarm the guardians behind FP's back. PB was getting close to achieving her objective until she clumsily dropped her bag and revealed the primary components she stole to power the guardians. Enraged by this discovery, FP engaged PB in a one on one battle.

Tons of flaming projectiles scattered everywhere around the room as FP attacked in a fit a rage. During the fight, PB used her flame shield and cloak technology to evade the attacks. On top of that, she deliberately provoked the fire monarch when PB noticed the guardians were being destroyed as collateral. Each time one was destroyed, Flame Princess lost more control over her powers and attacked recklessly.

With most of the guards destroyed, PB began to make her way towards the exit. She was about to escape the fire princess's clutches until FP launched a wide blast that sent PB flying towards the farthest wall inside. Soon she found herself encased onto the wall where she was at the mercy of the princess of flames.

In one last act of desperation, PB deployed a weather grenade to weaken the fire elemental. FP's powers dropped significantly as a result and collapsed in pain. Her glowing orange skin now changed into a dim maroon color. Fortunately, the effects of the grenade were designed to neutralize and not extinguish the fire elemental.

The battle was over as the two monarchs lied beside each other with minor injuries. They were both recovering their breath until Princess Bubblegum spoke after a while.

"Ok, I'll come clean," she said.

"Yeah right," FP said dismissively. She averted her gaze from PB to emphasize her doubt.

"It was me. I messed with the core temperature to get in here... I had to get into your weapons stockpile."

FP frowned in confusion, "But, how did you find out about them?"

PB hesitated, "Uhhh, you see... I had a camera placed inside CB's face during the night and was able to know everything."

"You're STILL spying on me!"

The sugar princess shrugged casually, "I'm PB, I spy on everybody! No big D!"

FP got back on her feet and pointed at her, "You're cold, PB!"

Bubblegum dismissed the remark.

"And it's not because you're a scientist or a leader. It's because you're a bad person."

PB's expression faltered.

"Something inside you is messed up, girl. Whatever it is... (sigh) Whatever... Whatever, PB!" She raised her arms for emphasis.

PB looked away for a brief until she met FP's gaze, "...Ok, keep one last fire giant... I'm not a bad person." She said demurely while shaking her head. "I want you to see that."

This only made FP aggravated, "Perhaps, but guess what?! Your actions beg to differ given today's events! And who made YOU the one to decide how many giants I should have?! In MY kingdom!"

PB stammered, "W-what, no! I-"

"You spied on me, lied to me, and placed my civilization under the risk of **extinction**," she snapped. "You intentionally violated my law of complete honesty! I expected you to abide by my customs at the very least as a professional courtesy, but even you couldn't do that."

PB was at lost for words.

FP turned her back and finalized, "You've done enough for today, **Bonnibel**. Please see yourself out."

The candy monarch stood up and began walking towards the exit in shame. As she was nearing the door, FP spoke again, "It's Phoebe by the way. You asked me earlier, and I want you to remember EXACTLY who you messed with when we could have been good friends. Good. Day!"

PB couldn't find the strength to meet her gaze from that moment. The shame and regret was already to much contain that she quickly glanced over at her shoulder before making a brisk exit. Once she was far away from Phoebe, she raised her communicator, "Ok, Ice King. Call it off."

The crazy ice wizard was flying above the central magma flow casting ice beams in several directions. He replied with his cell in one hand, "Copy that, princess." Then, he stopped with his motions and began flying away from the Fire Kingdom.

* * *

><p>Several minutes after PB and IK's departure, the life of the Fire Kingdom returned to its normal state. Climate temperatures rose back into the average highs and the citizens regained their natural life force. Most of the general population cheered with their hands waving in midair as their ruler watched with relief from an elevated platform. She let out a big exhale from all the stress she endured and soon her body was being claimed with exhaustion.<p>

Despite the ruler and her kingdom's rapid recovery, Phoebe knew there was a lot of work to be done. She couldn't rest, not after being betrayed twice significantly in her lifetime. The next day passed and she sat on her throne, holding a private council meeting. The meeting included her siblings once again, CB, and several of her military generals.

"How much did we lose from yesterday's incident?" Phoebe asked in a low voice.

Most of the company was reluctant to answer as they shifted uncomfortably and looked down.

"How. Much?" Her tone was demanding, slowly rising that made the generals and her younger brothers shake with nervousness.

Finally after what seemed like an eternity, her older brother replied, "Casualty reports estimate that we have lost close to a hundred people, your majesty. Several of the main streets are in disarray but are currently undergoing maintenance from our fire golems. Property damages are a bit high, but not as costly as expected. Most of our homes and business buildings are relatively intact and are also currently undergoing routine inspection as a precaution."

Hearing this made Phoebe nod in understanding as she slightly softened her features. Although her civilization was spared from suffering catastrophic losses, lives were still lost. She hardened her features once again as she spoke, "Princess Bubblegum is responsible for what we have lost."

Everyone except CB and her older brother was astounded from her accusation.

Phoebe signaled her pastry guardian to bring forth evidence, "She has personally confessed to me about her spying activities. Even if she chose not to, she left this surveillance camera behind that CB uncovered."

Her older brother replied, "Our reports have recorded multiple sightings of the Ice King flying away prior before the kingdom's recovery. We believe there is a strong correlation between him and the Candy princess. It makes sense because I doubt he would benefit from committing such a treacherous act. He only cares about kidnapping royals save for ours after all."

"You have a point," one of the generals replied. "What would you have us do?"

Phoebe stood up from her throne, "I would like all of you except for CB and my siblings to leave for the moment."

Her military officials bowed. "As you wish, your excellency," one of them said.

Once they left, Phoebe spoke again, "There's only one giant left."

Her older brother tightened his fists, "WHAT?! This is an outrage! Our kingdom is surely vulnerable if we get invaded!"

She shook her head, "We won't because I know Bubblegum was ashamed of her actions. She's not going to pull something so foolishly after her last stunt."

"One is all you need," said a new voice from above.

Everyone looked up to see it was the former leader, Flame King imprisoned inside a glass lantern.

Phoebe frowned, "What do you mean?"

"Many years ago, our people were able to reverse engineer the Sleeping Fire Gods. We had around 30 at best, more than enough to bring Ooo to its knees if we desired. However, as you may know, the resources for constructing them are rare, costly, and time consuming. We lost most of them during the conflicts we've had and ceased production after a cease fire agreement with Princess Bubblegum."

She was shocked, "We've been at war with them before?"

"Indeed, this was during a time before you were born though, so you couldn't have known. I didn't think it would be worth mentioning at the time since it was all old news."

"I see. But why are you telling us this?"

Her father chuckled, "Your 'friend' didn't discriminate when she nearly plunged this world into darkness. I want to see to it that she is brought down with great vengeance when the time comes just so our people can even have a future."

"I plan to exact justice where she will answer to our courts," Phoebe argued.

"(hmph) So you say. Let's see if you still believe that after it's all said and done," he smirked.


	2. Onset

**Disclaimer**: Once again, this is a story that simply explores a "what-if" scenario. Anything that transpires from the actual show regarding the following plot and its characters is entirely coincidental.

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><p>Sometime later, Phoebe's generals and advisors returned to the throne room. They quietly assembled before their ruler who stood high above them.<p>

"Blood has been spilled on our soil before the hands of Princess Bubblegum in which is deemed as an act of **war**," she began as she paced with her hands clasped behind her. "As fitting as it seems to retaliate, we are currently in no condition to do so."

One general stood forward, "Our scouts report that the Gumball guardians from the Darren incident have been rendered inoperable. With that said, we could use that to our advantage and initiate an arms race. Besides, the other kingdoms will see us as the victims after what we've been through."

"It's unbelievable that she would pull something so treachous especially given her reputation," said another. "But, the proof speaks for itself." He pulled out a small booklet and tore a page out, "Whatever you need, your majesty... You got a blank check."

She nodded as she received the bank note, "Thank you, I will see to it that the money is well spent." Then she looked at another official, "I want you to gather all of our best engineers, alchemists, and scientists to work on a special project within the palace. Get them to work immediately once you've briefed them about the situation."

He bowed and left.

Phoebe faced her older brother, "I must go and make a public appearance with my people. They will need my presence to provide them comfort and emotional support in times like these."

He nodded, "What would you have me do?"

"I'm placing you in charge as Supreme General of our military forces where you'll be responsible for coordinating and maintaining our kingdom's defenses. We need to appear strong before all the kingdoms when we discuss terms with Princess Bubblegum. And furthermore, I need to have an offensive strategy planned out if things go south."

He bowed, "Of course, your majesty. I won't let you down." Little did she know, he had something already in mind.

After she left with Cinnamon Bun, he faced another representative and whispered, "Get me all available miners as possible and bring them to the outskirts... I have a task for them." His eyes narrowed.

"Yes, sir," he saluted and left.

"Is this really happening?" One of his younger brothers named Randy asked with a worrisome expression.

He placed a hand sympathetically on his shoulder, "I'm afraid so, brother. But tomorrow, there will be no shortage of patriots, no shortage of volunteers. I know you'll understand..."

* * *

><p>Within 72 hours, every recruitment office in the Fire Kingdom was packed with men and women alike. Lines extended beyond the hallways to the streets outside. No one could blame them. After hearing the news of Bubblegum's treacherous act, the entire Fire Kingdom as a whole eagerly diverted all of its resources for one grand war.<p>

The hours would pass as people went through selection which involved signing paperwork and taking physical examinations. Once they were done, the newly approved recruits would assemble into convoy trucks that would send them to the nearest military base for boot camp.

Meanwhile, the miners that were summoned met accordingly at the outskirts. The area was filled with hundreds of mobile office buildings along with heavy construction vehicles. Their purpose, according to their superiors, was to create a massive tunnel network that would give them direct access to the Candy Kingdom. The details of the assignment required that they needed the tunnels below the planet's crust, near the mantle to mask their people's heat signature.

The mining operation was met with several setbacks. Sometimes the tunnels would collapse from instability, the workers would get injured from faulty equipment, and the overall map layout would be inconsistent. For a long time, morale was low and they believed their work was hopless. However, some of them persevered and rallied the others as a whole to continue. When they finally achieved their goal after several grueling months, the men threw their hats into the air to celebrate. As far as they knew about their role in the upcoming war effort, their job was finally done.

* * *

><p>The newly appointed general stood inside the throne room as he waited for his sister to start another council meeting. He was looking at one of the royal paintings with his hands behind his back until a messenger approached him, "Status report?"<p>

"The tunnel network has been successfully completed under your specifications, general sir," the messanger replied.

He nodded as he kept his gaze on the painting, "Anything else?"

"So far, we have detected no signs of hostile activity within our borders. The kingdom is relatively secure for the moment."

"Very good, keep me updated if anything comes up." And with that, the messenger dismissed himself afterward.

A few minutes later, Phoebe entered the throne room with Cinnamon Bun and initiated the meeting.

"Where do we stand so far," she asked.

One official straightened his glasses, "Our research and development teams have reported their special assignment will be complete within two years. However, on the other hand, our recruits have been successfully trained to form up a large reserve of ground units. We have also been notified that the military industrial complex has yielded thousands of artillery units along with a surplus of general weapons. In short, you have a kingdom armed at the ready."

She nodded, "Alright. With that settled, have we heard anything from Princess Bubblegum?"

"No, your majesty. We've kept an open line of communications in case she would have contacted us earlier beforehand, but have received nothing."

"Then I guess now would be a good time to start." She faced a messenger, "Contact all the princesses and arrange an urgent conference meeting. They must be made aware of the developing crisis to avoid further incidents."

He bowed his head solemnly and left.

Phoebe faced the remaining group, "This is it ladies and gentleman. Two great civilizations hang in the balance of peace and utter destruction. I'm willing myself to be the better person and give Bubblegum one last chance in spite of everything she's done. Make no mistake, she will **still** answer to us, but I want it to be done under the circumstances of diplomacy, without bloodshed. However, let it be known that if this fails, then at least you would all know I've sought all options."

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><p>And so, all the princesses of Ooo gathered together inside the palace of the Emerald Kingdom, on neutral territory. Tons of security guards were stationed at all entry and exit points, being sure to keep a certain Lumpy Space Princess in check. After the recent mishap from the last royals meeting in the Breakfast Kingdom, everyone agreed to take stricter precautions to avert accidental wars.<p>

"Emerald Princess," Phoebe began. "And all the leaders of Ooo. I come before you to protest a grave injustice inflicted upon my people..."

During the session, most of the princesses were outraged and in disbelief as Phoebe revealed to them about Bubblegum's past deeds. Everyone was reluctant to accept that the candy princess whom they've held a high regard for, was guilty of spying.

"I was just being pragmatic!" PB shouted. "I was merely taking the initiative to counter the potential dangers that may surface among us in the future."

Gridface Princess stood up and pointed at her, "And by doing this, you reap the benefits while everyone else plummets?! What is wrong with this picture?!"

Space Angel Princess stood up next, "You know well enough that most if not all of us have no ambition of conquest or violence! Your intentions are unacceptable!"

Breakfast Princess followed after, "Everyone can be dangerous, Bubblegum. It's the matter of deciding to act accordingly that counts. You should have placed your faith in all of us, rather than doubt us with science."

More princesses began to join the uproar as Bubblegum vainlessly tried to justify her actions. After a while, the host of the summit meeting called order to the court. Although the banter ceased to a minimal, dozens of eyes continued to stare at the sugar princess with disdain.

"Princess Bonnibel," Emerald Princess began. "In light of this development, the kingdoms of Ooo have unanimously agreed to impose sanctions against your civilization. Effective immediately."

PB was shocked, "WHAT?! After everything I've done for the good of this land, this is the gratitude I get from all of you?!"

EP frowned as she pointed at her, "Watch yourself, Bonnibel. Doing a hundred things for the benefit of society does **not** warrant you immunity to commit such deeds. You should be lucky that your civilization does not fall under the dire threat of war from ALL the royals before you, save for one."

The candy princess looked down as she pondered the extent of her actions. Unfortunately, she couldn't reflect long enough when the fire monarch gained her attention.

"Bonnibel," Phoebe said. "As much as I want to give in to my pride as a fire elemental, I do not want to cast our kingdoms into chaos. I'm trying really hard right now to keep my people under control to be reasonable and relieve tensions between us through diplomacy... This conflict doesn't have to happen. We can avert this crisis right here, right now. You've told me in the past that you're not a bad person. So, if you are willing to prove yourself, you will come with me and answer before the high council in the Fire Kingdom palace, where we'll be discussing how you can provide compensation to all 94 lives lost from this incident."

Peppermint Butler leaned into PB's ear and whispered, "They will surely kill you!"

Bubblegum nodded and cleared her throat before speaking, "I'm sorry for what I've done to your people. But, I will have to decline on that offer."

"You do realize what it will come down to if you refuse, right?" Phoebe asked cautiously. "A simple apology isn't going to resolve this issue."

PB nodded sharply, "I'll take my chances."

Phoebe shook her head and let out a deep sigh, "You leave me no choice then. On behalf of the Fire Kingdom, I officially declare **war** on the Candy Kingdom. I hope your citizens realize the predicament you've thrown them into."

EP spoke next and concluded, "All the other rulers, including myself, have agreed to take a neutral standpoint. We will offer no allegiance to either warring parties, for this dispute is strictly between the two of you. May the deities of Ooo be with us all..."

As the meeting ended, Phoebe stormed outside the conference room towards the lobby. From there, a small crowd of reporters were flashing cameras and asking the fiery monarch tons of questions. She didn't acknowledge them though as she continued to reach the exit.

Phoebe's mind was preoccupied from today's meeting while CB and her royal escort pushed the news media aside. Her eyes were focused on the floor, recalling everything that PB said during their previous duel. All it did however was anger her more as she also recalled the lives lost. Because of PB's ambitions, several children became orphans overnight. With a grievous tragedy too great to ignore, she lifted her gaze back up towards the doorway with determination. Unbeknownst to her however, was a security guard far into the distance observing her with a solemn expression.

* * *

><p>Hours later, Phoebe and her escort returned to the Fire Kingdom. As she dismounted Jake 2, she instructed her company to give her some time alone. They complied and left their ruler in peace knowing it would be brief.<p>

The young monarch was in her chambers as she changed out of her formal dress attire into her iconic royal armor. She took her time as she fastened the plates together along with her boots. Memories of her past began to surface as she prepped herself for the imminent war. Times of depression and loneliness in the lantern crossed her mind first, then happy and joy from the outside world. But as the memories concluded, moments of betrayal and anger clouded her mind. The fire elemental bowed in front of her bedroom mirror as she held her crown firmly with both hands. Then, she slowly placed it on top of her head and looked at her reflection with a hardened expression.

Phoebe walked back into the throne room to meet up with CB, her siblings, and her military advisors. The moment she entered through the doorway, everyone inside instantly hushed and stood upright. They looked at her expectantly as she slowly approached her seat at the throne. Each step she took was a constant reminder of the grim reality she had to face now. None of this was twisted dream, PB revealed her true colors, and now hundreds of thousands of lives were at risk.

She closed her eyes briefly as she rested on her throne. From that moment, she found solace. The only thing that could be heard within the room were the flames cackling. It was only short-lived though as her older brother approached and kneeled before her.

"Your highness," he began. "What are your orders?"

Phoebe opened her eyes, "Assemble the armies and **engage** the Candy Kingdom." Each word was uttered with conviction.

"Yes, my liege. I've got a wicked strategy in mind that'll end this war in no time! Bubblegum will be caught by surprise that she won't know what hit her."

She placed a hand on her forehead, closed her eyes and sighed, "Just do whatever it takes."

He left moments later containing his excitement.

Everyone else followed suit until it was just the ruler and CB.

"You know I've tried everything," she said solemnly to her knight.

He nodded, "Of course."

"I still can't believe PB was responsible," she said with a pained expression.

"She's evil," the pastry stated. "It was only a matter of time for her to reveal her true self."

Phoebe frowned, "I was thought to be evil too, CB. Maybe I was actually from the start. Bottom line, neither of us are completely pure in either extremities. Bubblegum regretted her actions after the fact and that's at least something to show otherwise. Still though, that isn't going to stop my entire kingdom from going out of their way to get even."

A few moments passed as CB considered his ruler's thoughts.

Phoebe turned right to met his gaze, "Whatever happens from here on out, please do not think less of me..."


	3. Hectic Evac

A few hours ago at the Emerald Kingdom, when the summit meeting ended, a lone security guard exited the conference room and began dialing his cell phone. It rang for several minutes until his contact finally answered, "Yes?"

"What took you so long?" The caller scowled.

"Hey, man! I'm sorry I couldn't answer right away. This place is loud enough already that I can barely hear myself."

"(sigh) Just set your phone to vibrate as well next time. Anyway, meet me outside near the main gate. We need to head back to the house and fast."

"Will do, I'll see you in five."

As the caller hung up, he noticed from the distance that a small crowd of reporters surrounded an irate fire elemental who was making a swift exit. He paused for a moment to look at her briefly, then turned away. For some reason, he thought he if stared longer she would notice, even though he was far away mingling with the crowd.

"Another time, perhaps," he softly thought to himself.

Right now, he had a priority to leave the Emerald Kingdom and return to his home. He proceeded to exit the lobby and sprint towards the main gate to prepare for the imminent conflict.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile at the Candy Kingdom, thousands of citizens began packing their personal belongings. Hundreds of houses and apartments were stripped clean of all essentials which mainly included food and clothing. All that remained for the most part was usually furniture and large household appliances such as the stoves, ovens, and refrigerators. Since the summit meeting was widely broadcasted across Ooo, it didn't take long for the streets to become crowded as people scrambled over each other to reach the city limits.<p>

Although the majority of the candy citizens wasted no time evacuating their homeland, some of them persisted to stay. They reasoned that their ruler's technology would be advanced enough to provide them ample protection. Others on the hand, recalled their old history with the Fire Kingdom and decided to leave regardless, even if it meant leaving friends or family members behind who were too stubborn to listen.

Hundreds of the kingdom's local guard established security checkpoints throughout downtown as the general population made a hasty departure. Although they were outraged from their ruler's decisions, they chose to flee for their own safety rather than to organize a massive riot.

Anywhere in the kingdom that involved public transportation was busy as expected. Transit buses were packed with passengers that were shoulder to shoulder. Eventually, some of the guards stationed there were forced to pull a few of them away from the vehicles.

One guard shouted, "There's no more room! Get back in line and wait for the next one!"

Even though the authorities kept the lines in check, the buses that were supposed to leave couldn't go anywhere as the main streets were jammed with heavy traffic. Dozens of horns were blaring pointlessly as they covered little to no ground. As a result, some of the drivers became impatient enough to leave their cars and head towards the outskirts on foot.

While most of the population marched their way towards the outskirts, some of them sought to evacuate using air transportation. The local airports for instance were crowded with thousands of people as they went through lengthy security checkups.

"How long until the next flight," one person anxiously asked as he looked at the flight chart.

"About 15 minutes," replied another.

"We can't leave any faster?" His voice expressed a sense of urgency.

The other guy noticed this and comforted him saying, "Take it easy, man. It's not that long of a wait. The kingdom's force field will give us plenty of time to make a clean getaway."

"Do you know how long exactly?" He arched an eyebrow.

The other shrugged casually, "Just enough for us to make it into the air long beforehand."

"T-that's good. Now if you'll excuse me." He quickly parted and headed for the nearest restroom.

The other guy shook his head, "(sigh) I'm sure we'll be out of here just fine! Nothin' to worry about."

* * *

><p>"Alright, we made it. Get your necessities and leave the rest because there won't be enough time to get them."<p>

"Aw, man! Really? We have so much stuff though."

"I know, but these things can be easily replaced with some dungeon crawling. Besides, your life is more important, and remember, you have your wife and kids to look after."

"Ok, ok."

After a few moments, the two packed their belongings with pairs of suitcases and met at the living room.

"Well, we got everything we could carry," Jake the dog said.

Finn nodded as he looked at the clock, "Now, this next part is very important: take BMO and Neptr with you and head over to Lady's place. You guys should be safe over there."

Jake was befuddled, "Uh, Finn? What are you saying?"

The human took a deep breath, "I'm heading over to the Candy Kingdom to save as many lives as I can."

"Finn, that's crazy! Are you out of your mind?!" The canine brother couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Don't do this if you think getting involved will solve your personal biz!"

He sighed in frustration, "I know, bro! I'm not doing this for my own gain. I'm doing this because there are people over there who will be caught in the crossfire when the going gets rough. It's my job as a hero to protect the innocent. It's what Billy would do, our parents would do, and what **I** would do."

Jake looked away from his brother's gaze in defiance. He took a brief moment before considering, "I'll go with you too then."

Finn shook his head, "No, Jake. You need to get our friends out of here and keep them safe."

The canine knew that his brother wouldn't listen if he tried to argue and reluctantly nodded, "Fine, just don't stay there longer than need be. This isn't your war to fight."

"I know, I know. Now go! We can't throw this debate all day!"

Jake nodded as he left the treefort and shapeshifted into a giant to cover more ground. Finn on the other hand, took one last look around the house to make sure nothing important was left behind. Considering that his home was directly between both warring kingdoms, he had a strong feeling his house would be used as fuel to supply the Fire Kingdom Army.

"I'm sure going to miss this place," he thought to himself. "But you know what they say: home is where the heart is." He grabbed a set of keys from the table on the way out and went inside a red pickup truck he salvaged from one of his adventures.

* * *

><p>Princess Bubblegum was in her palace as she looked at a set of maps with Peppermint Butler and Colonel Candy Corn.<p>

"What's the situation so far," PB asked.

The colonel cleared his throat before speaking in a gruff voice, "Our scouts report heavy enemy movement approaching from the east. Judging from the terrain and the equipment they're hauling, I'd say we have at least 4-5 hours until contact."

This made PB distressed, "We need more time. Send out a battalion towards the Grasslands to set up trench emplacements."

"Are you nuts?! They're not going to live long enough to give a real fight!"

"I know what I'm sending them into," PB snapped. "The harsh reality is that more citizens will perish if we just let the fire troops waltz into our doorstep on the way here."

He grumbled, "Yes, your majesty." Moments later, he bowed and left the war room.

Peppermint looked at the princess, "Do you think this will work?"

She nodded, "I've done the calculations. I'm sure I know what to expect."

Meanwhile, as Finn was speeding towards the Candy Kingdom, he noticed a large military convoy was approaching his general direction. It didn't take much effort for the human to consider where they were going.

"It seems like Bubblegum's already making her move," Finn thought to himself. "I better hurry." He floored the gas pedal as he drove on the grassy plains. When he finally approached the outskirts, he stopped instantly as he observed the massive crowd of refugees obstructing his path.

He sighed as he switched off the ignition, "Guess I'll have to leg it from here." He got outside moments later and began jogging towards the oncoming crowd.


	4. Coming Storm

"Okay people. I need more trenches to be dug over in these areas on the double," ordered a banana guard. "They're gonna throw everything they got at us and we need to be ready."

The Grasslands was packed with thousands of candy troops as they used shovels and bulldozers to set up defensive positions.

"How're we doing on progress," asked an officer.

"So far, so good," replied another. "Our forces are deploying the traps and barricades successfully in an efficient manner. We should be finished within 2 hours."

"Alright, let's try and speed it up in the meantime. The enemy's not going to give us the courtesy to prepare once they get here."

"Yes, sir!"

As the second officer left, the first one observed the armored trucks parking near the perimeter. Each one had six all terrain wheels, three on each side, an adequately sloped front bumper, and one turret on the roof. These were usually designed to subdue riots as each truck was loaded with water. Next to the riot vehicles was also a tank column. With several of them being salvaged from the Mushroom War, it didn't take long for Bubblegum to reverse engineer them into mass production.

"We're going against fire elementals," Colonel Candy Corn said as he approached the first officer. "Most of the ordinance is loaded with nitrogen and other stuff used to counter the opposite element."

"I see. It shouldn't be so hard to fight them then if that's the case," the officer said confidently.

"I've gone through the Night-O-sphere many times protecting our people from the Fire Kingdom," he said gravely. "Do **not** underestimate them."

He noticed this and looked down, "My apologies, sir."

Candy Corn placed a hand on his shoulder, "Understood, captain. Just keep our troops vigilant in the meantime."

* * *

><p>"This is gonna be awesome," Phoebe's older brother exclaimed to himself. After waiting for almost a year, he was finally able to put his plan into action. The Supreme General stood center stage on an elevated platform with thousands of troops listening, "Everyone here knows for a fact that we've lived peacefully like everyone else. We had goals and dreams in hopes we would someday prosper. But that future was taken from us by that sugar princess. And for what?! Because we're too dangerous?! We worked hard together and made an <strong>honest <strong>living for ourselves for a long time, until she came along and wasted it on that dreadful day."

He looked down momentarily, lifted his head up, and continued, "Because of her, we have lost men, women, ...and children who could have been our next great thinkers of tomorrow. Because of her, we nearly became extinct as an entire race. Because of her, we are at war rather than spending time with our families!" He shouted as his flames increased from that moment.

His flames returned to their normal state, "She maliciously violated the core principles we've abided by for so long through an elaborate act of deception. She has mocked our kingdom's virtues and way of life... Well I, for one will not stand for this! Today, we will take the fight to their land, to their people, to their blood!"

The men cheered raising their weapons.

He raised his right hand and swung forward, "March onward, to victory!"

Columns of infantry moved in unison, singing songs of honor and glory. As they moved closer to the Grasslands, the general pulled out his communicator.

"Status report," he asked.

"This is Commander Erwin, my men should be in position within 2 hours."

"Good, wait for my call once they're ready. We only have one shot at this to pull this off perfectly."

"Understood, Supreme General. Over and out."

* * *

><p>Finn was rushing past the candy refugees as he entered the kingdom's outer walls. Although he couldn't bring his truck, he still managed to reach the capital quickly by navigating through shortcuts with alleyways and small rooftops. He arrived at his destination in record time and rested for a few moments to catch his breath.<p>

"(pant) I can't rest too long," Finn thought to himself. He held onto his knees momentarily until his most of his breath became even. Satisfied from the break, he focused his sights on a set destination and stretched his legs before going into another sprint.

Suddenly, the blonde hero drew his sword, turning around. He lowered his weapon after realizing it was his sword master, "Rattleballs, I didn't think I'd run into you. What are you doing here?" Finn sheathed his sword afterward.

"I am here to fulfill my programming to protect the princess and her people," the guardian replied.

Finn was shocked, "You'll still follow her after everything she's done?! She tried to kill you, you know."

"Regardless, I swore an oath to defend this kingdom. The only reason why I rebelled against her from all those years ago besides my personal safety was because my teachings would have gone to waste. I needed someone who I could trust to carry my skills as a sword fighter so that I may know this world will have a righteous protector."

Finn was stunned, "Righteous protector? Heh, I haven't been exactly the best person for that role in a while now."

Rattleballs placed a hand on the hero's shoulder, "You have struggled and have fallen short at times, but deep down you still strive to do the right thing. You have gained the essential characteristics to become the hero this world needs and that is: humility, virtue, and compassion. Guide as many refugees as you can, Finn. The Fire Kingdom will stop at nothing until everyone in the Candy Kingdom is dead."

Finn lifted his head up, "You should come with me then. Everybody knows for a fact this place is finished. Without any support from the other kingdoms, it'll only be a matter of time until it runs dry from resources."

The guardian shook his head, "My place is here, Finn. I will give you and the others time to escape while I hold them off. Head over to the train station through the office building two blocks east of here. It should get you there fast in half the time."

"Master, it's been an honor," Finn bowed.

"You have been a great student under my tutelage, but most importantly you have been a great friend," Rattleballs said as he returned the bow. Afterward, they hugged each other briefly, "Go now, and may Glob be with you."

After saying their goodbyes, Finn set his sights towards the shortcut and leapt towards the closest rooftop. The streets below were still packed with cars and pedestrians alike, and they were all heading towards the same destination. With all of the aerial transports departed already, the remaining refugees frantically rushed towards their last means of escape. Time was running out though as the sun was beginning to set. Although most of the sky was becoming relatively dark, the edge of the horizon from the east was beginning to glow bright.

A candy citizen from one of the apartment buildings furrowed his brows in confusion, "That's weird. Is the next day starting already? I was so sure the sun went down just a moment ago."

"That's not the sun I'm afraid," said another beside him. "That light over there is coming from all the fire elementals Bubblegum ticked off. And we're about to pay the price for it."

* * *

><p>Back at the Grasslands, banana troops armed with crossbows and spears anxiously waited inside the trenches.<p>

"Captain Henson, the enemy is closing in! I've got hundreds of heat signatures closing in fast," said a candy trooper.

He nodded, "Copy." He pulled out his communicator next, "Colonel Candy Corn, I'm getting reports about a large enemy presence approaching our position. Should we engage?"

"Not yet," the superior replied. "Standby until your men have visual contact."

"Roger that," Henson gulped as he hung up. Anxiety began to course through his body as his stomach churned in realization. "I might actually die," he thought to himself. The captain felt relatively indifferent at first when he established defenses hours ago. He thought of the whole process being a routine exercise when he realized at the last second this was the real deal. As far as he was concerned, he never tested his combat abilities with an actual threat until today. It also disturbed him from the fact that most of the troops around him felt relatively the same.


	5. Flaming Crusade

A tense silence roamed the Grasslands as Candy troops readied their weapons. Their hands trembled, their knees buckled, and their faces dripped in sweat. Some of the men were tremendously overwhelmed with anxiety that they puked as a result. Others on the other hand checked their weapons again despite having done so already numerous times. Either way, the wait was agonizing.

"Hold position," captain Henson said.

The company shifted uncomfortably and darted their eyes across the horizon. The enemy was there no doubt, and it was only a matter of time until both forces would clash against each other.

One recon team surveyed the Fire Kingdom Army's advance from a vantage point at one of the small hills. They observed the massive infantry columns approaching the general direction towards the Candy Kingdom.

"Sir, they're closing in 400 meters from the left flank," reported a squad member.

"Copy that," Henson replied. "Wait until they get a little closer..."

One recon member was holding a set of binoculars while another held a detonator in place. It felt like they waited an eternity until the order was finally given.

The triggerman held his breath as he clapped the detonator. From that moment, several explosions of cold air went off from the distance, approximately killing 60 fire troops. Their elemental bodies that once burned brightly now were smothered and completely extinguished from the blast that only their armor remained.

Henson shouted at the top of his lungs, "ENGAGE!" Immediately all the troops beside him were firing in a frenzy from left to right. As the first moments of battle commenced, a large horn was uttered throughout the battlefield to signal the Fire Army to charge.

The defenders fired a volley of arrows as large masses of fire knights advanced. Unfortunately, most of their shots were either blocked or deflected from the shields the enemy carried. As a result, the archers immediately ceased fire and lined up behind the knights for cover. In what seemed like seconds, shouts and grunts of pain echoed across the battlefield as men from both armies died. Dozens of bodies flew aimlessly as troops were either slashed, stabbed, or shot at. The battle had roughly started for 5 minutes and the grounds were already stained with blood pools of candy and magma.

"Hold the line," shouted a candy archer. He fired his automatic crossbow frantically changing targets. No matter where he aimed, each arrow was guaranteed to hit. The problem for him and his comrades was that there were too many enemies halt the charge. Even with the help of ground support vehicles, the fire troops eventually overwhelmed them in the first set of trenches.

As the fiery army retaliated with their own ranged weapons, one of the radio men stayed in cover and relayed the positions for some of the armored vehicles, "Control, I've got enemy APCs giving our boys a hard time, over. Sending flares to mark their location."

"Roger that, mortars inbound."

A few moments later, the targets exploded in quick succession. Chunks of metal and shrapnel scattered the field as flames engulfed the wreckage. Then, pillars of smoke billowed while the crews inside were roasted.

"There's too many, fall back!" Another candy archer waved to the company to retreat. He briefly diverted his attention to some of his cohorts and ushered them to move. Unfortunately for him, a stray fire arrow pierced his back before he could continue. He collapsed on his stomach moments later and drew his last breath.

With the first line of defense now breached, the fire troops quickly casted a large smokescreen to obscure visibility. Colonel Candy Corn observed the slaughter from the distant background and shook his head solemnly, "We need to buy our people more time." He surveyed the field again and spotted a particular tree that offered a significant vantage point.

He dropped his binoculars and radioed his forces, "Captain Henson, send out a recon team on top of that large tree. It's the only way we'll be able designate enemy artillery positions from this point!"

"Roger!" As he spoke, the clash of swords and explosions were heard in the transmission.

"These trenches will be their graves," a fire trooper sneered. As he moved forward with his unit, they threw several grenades into the defenses and waited behind cover. A few seconds later, a grin spread across his face as he heard his enemies screaming in agony, burning to death. Candy troops flailed their arms and tumbled onto the ground in a desperate effort to put out the flames, but it was too late. Within moments, their movements ceased as their bodies quickly became ash.

Slowly but surely, the defense forces were losing ground. While the infantrymen retreated to the next row of trenches, their tanks provided covering fire, shooting canisters of ice pellets. Dozens of additional fire troops were easily lost but it was still not enough to force a retreat.

"Captain," radioed a candy trooper. "The enemy is moving their artillery in position! They're gonna flush us out of our next line of defense soon if we don't do something about it!"

"I read you," he replied. "Standby for support."

After a few moments, a small squad of 5 members climbed upstairs towards the top of the tree fort. As soon as they began to set up defenses, they quickly marked their targets with verbal communication. Overall, they destroyed at least 8 artillery emplacements systematically until the remaining units nearby halted their advance and pulled back from range.

On the other side of the field, the Supreme General hardened his features as he looked through a large telescope. He surveyed the field spotting a few more bunkers and tanks until something else caught his attention and radioed, "They're using that vantage point to spot our friendlies! Destroy the treehouse!"

The artillery officer hesitated, "Sir, isn't that Finn's place down there?"

This only aggravated the superior, "Did I stutter, captain?! I'm giving you a direct order!"

"Copy. Coordinates received, firing for effect." Within seconds, the house was struck with a sudden barrage. The structure sustained numerous explosions before being left in a towering inferno. As for the recon team, their deaths were swift as one of the shells incinerated them instantly.

The general muttered to himself, "I hope that wretched human was in there too. If not, he better stay out of my way." He tightened his right fist as the former house collapsed and burned brightly into the night sky. "Artillery, push forward! It's time we drive them back!"

Thousands of fire troops uttered a deafening battle cry as they charged altogether for one last push to victory. With the battle seemingly in their favor, the armored units that once held them back were now driving in full reverse.

Candy Corn shook his head in disappointment again and began to radio the remaining candy defenders, "The Grasslands has been lost! I say again, the Grasslands has been lost! Fall back to the city on the double!" He ducked moments later as one of the tanks nearby exploded with its turret flying a short distance from being dislodged. "Princess, why have you done this to us?" He asked himself as he watched his comrades abandoning the remaining trench emplacements. Then, he regained his bearings, walked into the nearest armored truck with his escort, and fled without turning back.

While the majority of the defense forces withdrew, some of them found themselves trapped behind enemy lines. "Captain," a candy troop shouted in distress. "We've been cut off! What do we do now sir?!"

Henson surveyed the fire troops surrounding his platoon's position while pinned down in cover. He only had a few seconds to make a decision before the enemy would engage in close quarters. Finally after a moment, he yelled, "For the princess!" He vaulted out of cover with his sword in hand and began swinging it towards the closest fire trooper. Fear and desperation coursed through his body as he frantically led his men into a futile counterattack.

At first, the defenders seemed like they were making progress. They survived a little longer than anticipated and quickly gained confidence as they claimed about 15-20 fire troops. However, their hopes were shattered when they realized their bodies suddenly gave out from tremendous exhaustion. With no more endurance to continue, the defenders were quickly slaughtered one by one offering little resistance.

Henson was one of the few members to survive the longest out of the group. As he fought, an enemy combatant made a large cut on his right shoulder which caused him to drop his sword. Moments later, the young officer clenched his teeth and drew his dagger with his left hand. He stabbed his enemy in the chest first, then followed up with a quick slash across the neck. The fire knight twirled downward in defeat, but was quickly replaced with another approaching. As Henson heaved from pain and exhaustion by slaying the next knight, an enemy archer lined up his sights from a distance and fired one resolute shot.

The arrow struck the officer's right thigh, causing him to kneel instantly. He grunted to stay focused in battle, but was too distracted from the pain his leg emitted. Noticing this, another fire knight ran up to him with his body twisted to deliver a finishing blow. The last thing Henson could remember at that point was the back of a crossbow smacking his face before fading into darkness.

* * *

><p>Sometime later, the Supreme General arrived at the battlefield with his hands clasped behind him. He observed the tents his armies had set up as a temporary base and watched the wounded resting in large groups. His expression faltered briefly however when he noticed the amount of body bags that were stacked in another area. Next to the bags was a table with a small chest that contained pendants from all of fire soldiers who had fallen from today's battle.<p>

"Their deaths will only inspire us to finish this fight," the general said to himself.

Moments later, one of his subordinates approached him and saluted, "Sir, our forces have emerged victorious in battle. Demolition crews are scouting the rest of the field for additional traps before we could mobilize again."

The two walked alongside each other as the men around them lifted corpses with wagons and stretchers. Once they piled them to certain burial sites, they began using their alchemy to cremate the bodies. Tons of ashes began to fill the night sky at a steady rate.

"Excellent," the general replied. "With the Candy Kingdom being a straight shot from here, I expect to end this war within the year. Bubblegum's armies are virtually powerless without their allies so there should be no excuses whatsoever."

"Of course. One other thing, sir. What should we say about the house issue?" He directed his gaze towards the fallen tree fort, "Our leader might express concern about the human if she knows."

Phoebe's brother placed a hand on the major's shoulder, "Don't worry about it. I'm sure he left long beforehand. Unless he was living under a rock prior to these events, leave it to me to tell her. Until then, just focus on clearing the path for our infantry as well as cleaning up this mess."

"Yes, general." The major dismissed himself moments later.

Phoebe's brother pulled out his communicator, "Commander, do you read?"

"Yes, general," Erwin replied.

"Are your men in position?"

"They are, we're standing by, over."

Phoebe's brother nodded in satisfaction and began walking around the base, "Good, just set up camp in the meantime. Bubblegum's left a minefield in our wake that we'll be stuck for a while."

"Understood, we can't afford to charge recklessly if that's the case. Do you have a good estimate how long we'll have to hold out?"

He frowned, "Possibly a week at best, but I'll try to get you guys out of there sooner if I can. I know settling down there doesn't exactly offer ideal conditions in terms of comfort."

Erwin shrugged, "Gotta play it safe above all else. If it means ensuring our ultimate victory in the long run, then I'm sure the wait will be worth it. We'll be fine and I hope to see you on the other side, sir."

"Roger that, see you on the other side my friend." The general holstered his cell and watched his comrades inspecting the fallen candy troops with spears. As the defenders groaned in agony, the fire troops delivered a swift blow through back and stomach before proceeding to the next wounded soldier. No prisoners were taken during the whole process.

"Bubblegum is just delaying the inevitable," he said to himself. "When the time comes, the Candy Kingdom will burn into cinders and we will have our vengeance. And then, we will emerge as the next leading superpower among Ooo. One that possesses power, respect, and above all else **honesty**."

"Nooo...," Henson uttered weakly from the ground as he grabbed the general's right ankle with one hand.

Phoebe's brother looked down with a ruthless expression at the gesture and said, "Such heroic nonsense..." His tone was pitiful to his adversary. Moments later, the fire elemental powered his right fist effortlessly and shot a plasma blast without hesitation. His ankle was free instantly and began returning towards the command post. As he left, a small crater was formed on the ground above Henson's shoulders.


	6. Downtown Rumble

Meanwhile at the Candy Kingdom's train station, Finn was assisting the evacuation. Hundreds of civilians crowded the boarding platform in haste to leave the city. Since the other kingdoms have agreed to take a neutral stance from the war, they have effectively closed their borders to prevent any candy citizen from entering. Their leaders reasoned that they didn't want to be involved if it meant harboring spies unknowingly. Fortunately, Princess Bubblegum had already prepared a contingency plan. She would send her people towards an undisclosed location where it was guaranteed to keep them isolated and safe. Although her subjects resented her actions from recent events, they proceeded to travel towards this unknown destination because they had no other choice.

It was hectic in the station as the refugees boarded the final train. Guards were stationed near the boarding platform in an effort to maintain order, but it was not enough. People still rushed and fought against each other in a desperate effort to claim a spot on the train.

"Women and children first," the guards shouted. They were assembled beside each other, shoulder to shoulder in front of the bystanders. The whole process involved a game of push and pull as the crowd attempted to board the transport in one swift motion. In time, the situation became worse as the guards used excessive force to subdue the public. At first, they used nonlethal tactics which involved using pepper spray. But as chaos progressed the guards became brutal enough to melee with their shields and crossbows. Men and women were screaming as they witnessed a friend or family member sustaining multiple beatings. Ironically, the people endangered themselves more so than the Fire Army.

* * *

><p>At the Grasslands, the Supreme General of the Fire Kingdom was sitting down inside his personal tent. On his desk, he had several map layouts of the Candy Kingdom. He studied them thoroughly, verifying the markings that indicated the positions of his military unit. Near his desk, he also had his cell to display the time.<p>

Suddenly, the clock on the screen switched into a caller id. The general darted his eyes towards the phone as it began to ring. He picked it up and quickly discovered who was contacting him. "Yes," he answered.

"Brother, what news do you bring to me from the front," Phoebe asked.

He cleared his throat, "The first battle was a success, sister. Bubblegum's forces have proven to be no match for our might. However, she has left a minefield to stall the invasion. I've talked it over with the other analysts if going around it is the best option, but that'll take too much time. They said it would be more ideal to clear a direct path towards the Candy Kingdom especially with the resources we have."

"I see," she replied. "Just so you know, I plan on making an appearance once the kingdom is within reach."

Her brother nodded, "Of course, I know you like to lead by example. I'm sure the men will appreciate it."

"Before I go, do you have anything else to report?"

"Nope, that's everything," he replied nonchalantly.

A brief silence lingered until she replied again, "I'll see you soon."

He hung up his phone and shrugged to himself. "Probably no big deal," he thought.

* * *

><p>Finn was frustrated. Despite his intervention to maintain the peace, the station remained chaotic. All the other trains have already departed but there were still people left who needed to evacuate. Only one transport remained at the boarding platform and it wouldn't be long until it started its departure.<p>

The conductor inside the locomotive made final checks before takeoff. He pressed a few buttons and checked several of the gauges indicating fuel, engine temperature, and electrical power. After a few moments, he nodded to himself in satisfaction and grabbed the transponder nearby.

"Finn," Starchie radioed. "Do you read?"

The blond hero was called in the middle of fight, being outnumbered 5 to 1. It wasn't difficult to his liking, but he had greater concerns for the general public. "I hear you Starchie," he replied. "What's your status?"

"We're just about ready to go," the candy malt replied.

Finn ducked and strafed sideways to avoid a person using a makeshift club. Then, he grabbed the person's hand that wielded the weapon and performed a judo throw. The person went airborne for a few seconds until he collided into the other four combatants, knocking them into unconsciousness. Finn dusted his hands and replied, "Ok, just hold on for a couple more minutes. We still have more refugees we need to pick up."

"I'll do my best, but you must hurry! It doesn't look like things will get better anytime soon."

"You got it. I'll talk to you later." Finn hung up his cell and focused his gaze on another group of thugs disturbing the peace. He drew out his primary weapon, called the Finn Sword when he noticed they held spears and crossbows. Apparently they managed to overpower some of the guards nearby that Finn had to focus on them as high value targets. He would try to knock them out first, and only use lethal force if he had no other choice.

The men fired their weapons in several directions claiming dozens of bystanders. As their victims fell nearby, some of them paused and quickly looted any valuables. Others on the other hand, continued their murder spree for their own amusement. The situation was becoming out of hand as the number of guards dwindled in the area. Crowd control reinforcements were called to the scene, but it would take at least 5 minutes before their arrival. Judging from the escalating conflict however, it seemed like that would not be quick enough for Finn's convenience. As a result, he had to settle for whatever resources he had left which in this case included around 20 guards along with himself.

Somehow, Finn couldn't understand the logic of the situation. He was aware the Fire Army was being held back from the Grasslands and he figured the civilians would have a headstart to flee to safety. Despite the advantage, civil unrest grew in the train station and before he knew it, a riot began taking place. The evacuation was running relatively smoothly as far as he recalled, until the last transport remained. He questioned himself if the fiery army was approaching nearby, but turned down that possibility when the alarms didn't go off. This was something else, and he continued to think of the cause as to what made the people go berserk while repelling the armed rioters.

He dodged and deflected some of the arrows in his way. As he got closer towards one of them, one guy reversed his grip on the crossbow and attempted to melee the hero. Finn twirled and ducked using the man's weight and momentum to flip him over the shoulder. His opponent landed flat on his back, out of breath, and was quickly knocked out as Finn delivered a quick punch to the face.

Another rioter noticed the fight and smiled evilly as he aimed his weapon towards the hero. Finn's eyebrows lifted in shock, but he dove away in time before it was too late. Finn sprinted as he kept his stance low to make himself a harder target while a trail of arrows followed his tracks. He was fueled by adrenaline and he leapt high in the air with a somersault until he landed near the shooter. The man was baffled that he missed all his shots and before he knew it, he was swept off his feet until he landed on his back and was knocked out moments later.

"Starchie," Finn called. "Get this train outta here! This place is getting uglier by the second that I don't wanna chance it!"

"On it, Finn! But what about you?!"

"Don't worry about me. You guys should have a good headstart by the time the Fire Army gets here!"

"Alright, I won't stop for anything! And Finn, it was nice knowing ya."

"It was nice knowing you too, buddy. Take care of yourself and may Glob be with you."

Finn continued the fight as he and the remaining guards assembled in a horizontal line formation in front of the boarding platform. Baggage and personal belongings scattered the floor along with bodies from both sides. The station that was once in pristine condition was now smeared from blood and debris. It was hard to believe the place changed so drastically within a short time, but it became possible.

The locomotive slowly moved as the engines started up. Soon, it began picking up speed as it made its final departure from the Candy Kingdom. The transport moved fast out of downtown until it gained enough speed to take off in midair. Finn suppressed a smile as he took a quick glance, then shifted his gaze back at the rioters who were enraged they missed their only chance of escape. With the mass majority of the refugees accounted for, Finn could now make his own escape. He already knew most of the kingdom's layouts by heart that it shouldn't take long for him to leave. As far as he was concerned, his services to Bubblegum and her people came to an end. The only thing he had to do now was survive the oncoming onslaught until the military arrived.

The human and the guardsmen readied their weapons as their enemies charged towards them with vigor. Soon, both sides clashed at each other with swords and clubs. Men shouted in pain and fury as they exchanged cuts and concussions across the body. Finn made a mental check that backup would arrive roughly around 2 minutes, but at that moment he felt as though time moved deliberately slow.

As the battle progressed, Finn noticed his allies fall around him one by one. It didn't take long for the human to realize that virtually all the guards were defeated. Now surrounded by thieves and murderers, Finn gripped his sword and began to engage them with extreme focus. As he fought, he parried a blow from one enemy and performed a counter on another. Men dropped in pairs, sometimes in threes as they tried to overwhelm the hero, but they were clearly outmatched. This wasn't the first time Finn fought by himself against large numbers. In fact, it became a routine experience for him whenever he explored dungeons for treasure.

Finn's enemies continued to attack relentlessly as they swung their fists and melee weapons. Finn maintained on the defensive and alternated tactics by diving in the air, countering basic strikes, and deflecting more arrows. The human was immersed with the battle so much he didn't realize the military came to his rescue. As a result, most of the rioters diverted their gaze towards their new contenders and charged with renewed energy.

The troops instantly lobbed several tear gas grenades to subdue the crowd. In seconds, the majority of the area was obscured with thick clouds of smoke and the sound of coughing and gagging followed afterward.

Unfortunately for Finn, the guards were unaware of his presence and as a result ended up losing consciousness along with the rioters. His eyes watered and he couldn't breathe. He dropped his sword and fell on his hands and knees until he finally collapsed on his left side. As the fighting subsided, Finn could vaguely see the men approaching his position before blacking out.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:<strong> I'm so sorry this took forever. One moment I had the next chapter thought out and then the next I just lost it. I've re-edited my other two stories to make up for lost time, but I still feel bad regardless. Anyway, feel free to leave a review!

**draconis ignitus**: Yes. Yes it is XD

**INeedAFlippingName**: I'm afraid that's classified until further notice! And thanks!

**Darkworldking666**: Sure is, I have a tendency to use quotes from movies and games whenever it seems fitting lol.

**trystrike**: Or is he?

**kakita**: A friend of mine thought of something like that. I'm going to see if I can pull off a similar concept.

**Ooobserver**: Thanks, the theme of the past chapter was inspired by World at War and the movie Fury.

**OMAC001**: Perhaps, but then this happened...

**Guest32**: We are either looking at a possible time paradox or it could be coincidental that Finn and Jake were singing the same song. Bubblegum must be great at multi-tasking if she managed to do all those things on the same day. But then again, Prismo's backup plan was also hard to understand so I'm guessing the writers are using that same kind of logic!

**Guest**: FP's brother in this story might be both of those in your case. He aspires his kingdom to achieve greatness and he also has a tendency to blow things up.


	7. Captured

Finn felt terrible. As he regained consciousness from his last battle, he felt groggy with a splitting headache. He slowly opened his eyes to observe his surroundings only to discover he was inside a dark room.

"(groan) W-what happened? Where am I," he asked himself. He clenched his teeth when he realized he couldn't move his arms. Finn frowned as he tried moving his legs before realizing he was restrained on a metallic bed.

"What is the meaning of this," he asked himself outraged. He looked back from his memories as he tried recall how he got captured. He knew he fought against a crowd of rioters back at the train station and that the military came to his aid. But that was where he felt conflicted. Surely the Candy troops would have recognized him when they inspected all the bodies. As far as Finn was concerned, he expected he would wake up in a hospital or a small medical facility and not in a place that felt like prison. Perhaps the troops were ambushed as they carried him to safety and now he was kidnapped from a bunch of crazy people.

Suddenly, Finn's thoughts were halted as he was blinded from the lamp flickering on above him. He squinted his eyes and clenched his teeth again to adjust to the room's sudden brightness. After he recovered his sight, he noticed he was surrounded by a vast array of machines and computers. He could see there were tables nearby with papers scattered on the top along with a small collection of chemicals. From that moment, he took a deep breath. He had a bad feeling he knew who was responsible but didn't want to believe it himself. A door was opened moments later and he could hear the sound of delicate footsteps approaching his position. Once the person walked into Finn's line of sight, Finn shut his eyes and shook his head in denial.

"Bubblegum," he said with resentment. "I really hope I'm just hallucinating and that I'm still knocked out."

"Evidently not," Bubblegum said in a straight voice. Her hands were clasped together behind her back as she watched her prisoner struggling to break free.

"I don't know what your deal is, princess. But I do know I want nothing to do with you ever again," Finn seethed.

The sugary princess showed no reaction and continued to stare at him with a mellow expression. It bothered the hero so much whenever he saw her arrogance. He tried channeling that same rage to break free from his restraints, only to find his arms and legs were in the same place.

Taking a break, Finn harshly asked, "Care to give me a good reason why I'm being held against my will?!"

"We still have unfinished business," PB said in a matter of fact tone.

Irritated, Finn lifted an eyebrow, "Really? Well, last time I checked I did you a favor by escorting your people to safety. So please, do enlighten me 'your highness'." He bowed his head mockingly.

PB frowned at his demeanor. "Watch who you're talking to," she said authoritatively. "I am trying to be extremely patient with you right now, but your attitude isn't making this any easier."

"(sigh)... Fine," he said bitterly.

The monarch softened her features and began walking around the room. "As you already know, I've been around for a long time. I've dedicated my life in the name of science that I have managed to accomplish a lot things for the benefit Ooo."

"You mean for yourself," Finn thought to himself.

PB continued, "I founded my civilization, created the gumball guardians, and have shared my knowledge of technology with the neighboring kingdoms." She picked up a test tube filled with a red liquid and examined it briefly before placing it back. "I didn't want to stop there however. In time, I have continued to seek more methods to preserve order where we can all live in a world of absolute peace."

"Your vision of peace involves taking away personal liberties and freewill," Finn argued.

She shrugged, "Responsibility demands sacrifice, Finn. And I am willing to do whatever it takes to fulfill my agenda."

"So, what was your deal with the Fire Kingdom," Finn asked changing the subject. "I don't understand why you placed them in harm's way. You should have known that the new ruler would have never dreamed of-"

"I couldn't afford to take that chance," PB snapped. "The Fire Kingdom has always been known as a destructive and violent race. You have no idea of knowing what they really are."

"I may not know them well as much as you do, Bubblegum," Finn replied. "But I do know they are capable of change. You should have known that straightaway when I dated one of them."

"Her elemental matrix is unstable," PB yelled. "You nearly killed all of us when you kissed her."

Finn lost his composure and shouted indignantly, "And YOU nearly killed off an entire race! How was I suppose to know about her condition back then?!"

"You should have stayed and listened to me," she retorted. "But you were too busy being love-struck that you didn't give a care to the world!"

He grunted, "Give me a break! I have tried many times to earn your affection, but you've always turned me down. Unlike you, she returned the same feelings and made me discover a new meaning of personal happiness. When I tried to impress you again after losing her, we both came to an understanding that it was also our personalities that kept us apart and not just our age."

PB looked away as she frowned in her thoughts.

Finn continued, "When I attended that summit meeting back at the Emerald Kingdom, I was shocked like everyone else. I have been skeptical about your morals for a while when it came to your pursuits in science, but I couldn't imagine you stooping so low. You refused to acknowledge the Fire Kingdom as reasonable, living beings and for that, you have lost your political ties **and** your friends in the process... including me."

She scoffed, "Like that matters! You, Marceline, and all the other princesses fail to see the big picture. I may not have my allies anymore, but I can pretty much tell you that I am more than ready to finish this fight. And **you** are going to help me."

Finn let out a chuckle, "Like heck I would! My stance on the war is entirely neutral. This is a matter between you and Fire Kingdom only. There is no honor or glory for me to get involved."

She shook her head, "Such pious. I suppose Josh, Margaret, and Billy would teach you the ways of a hero. Your intentions are noble, but mistaken."

He narrowed his eyes.

PB continued, "Make no mistake, Finn. Your residency in the Grasslands is an allegiance to MY kingdom. You will serve me and you will win this war under my name."

"I will do no such thing! And besides, I was planning on moving out of the tree fort anyway! You know, up until now, I thought I knew you well enough as a friend. But I guess you've shown yourself to be nothing more than a sick, twisted, and demented scientist! I will never serve as your knight ever again."

She walked in front of him and brought her face close to his a few inches away, "I'm afraid you don't have a choice on the matter."

"I'll never forgive you for this," he said defiantly.

PB let out an amused chuckled before moving away, "Your will is strong, but you will do my bidding with utmost vigor. After all, you're only human." She smug to herself.

Finn struggled with his restraints again grunting in frustration.

"I have plans for you, Finn. And I have plenty of time to carry it out before the invasion starts. Better enjoy your last day as yourself because tomorrow, we're going to work." She left the room and flicked the lights back off.

Enraged at Bubblgum's motives, Finn continued to jerk his body in several directions. Nothing was working but he didn't care. He had to free himself no matter how long it took. He had no tools he could work with and he couldn't see again. Before he knew it, his body was coated in sweat and his chest heaved from struggling. Realizing that he wasn't making any progress, Finn took a break to regain his energy. He looked down in resignation thinking it was hopeless, but then tried again to break free. It made him sick to his stomach whenever he thought about the worse for himself and tried channeling his anxiety to break free again.

"I can't give up," Finn panted. "I just can't!"

The sound of computers beeping echoed around the room as he exhausted himself for the rest of the day.

* * *

><p><strong>dfinkel70:<strong> Well, so much for that! I just wonder what your thoughts are now, heheh.

**Ooobserver**: I had to make sure the flying train was accurate and not random by any means. Then I remembered the world of Ooo (earth) is filled with magic so anything's possible.


	8. Preparations

Four days later, the Fire Army was making progress at clearing the minefield. Dozens of engineers used special equipment to search for explosive ordinance hidden beneath the grass. Accompanying them in the search were also canine units that would sniff out the mines as an extra precaution. It was exceptionally tedious, but the fire troops spent their time refining their combat skills. One section of the base had a shooting range for target practice while another had an arena for sparring. After being productive for a certain time, the men would wind down and take breaks near one of the lounging tents that played music and offered drinks.

Phoebe's brother walked outside of his personal quarters and closed his eyes. He took a deep breath as the sunlight from the setting sun beamed his face. Then, he opened his eyes and began to walk around the barracks.

The Supreme General made a routine inspection as the men saluted him in his presence. He returned the salute and dismissed the company before proceeding towards another platoon. So far, the men were still ready for war and shared the same enthusiasm to lay waste to the Candy Kingdom. Nothing made the general more happier to see this, and he left the area moments later.

He traveled towards the perimeter of the base where he oversaw the engineers gathering and dismantling ground ordinance. Some were using tools to disarm them, while others purposely detonated them from a safe distance. The fire wolves brought their faces near the dirt and would bark occasionally whenever they detected a mine nearby.

"Afternoon, general," Major Maddox said as he approached him.

"Major," the superior acknowledged.

"The mine sweep operation seems to be going smoothly so far. Demolition experts predict we should be clear to advance within three days, possibly sooner."

"That sounds good. Anything else?"

"Yes, sir. Our scouts have detected a massive enemy presence assembling at the Candy Kingdom's outskirts. They've reported that we'll be encountering more trench emplacements along with a division of tanks."

The general nodded, "We can handle them. This will be a great opportunity for the recruits to prove their valor. Thank you for the report, Major. I'll review the details of the dossier shortly and make adjustments to our offensive strategies if necessary. Keep me posted for further updates."

Maddox bowed and left.

"Commander Erwin," Phoebe's brother called from his cell. "I have confirmation we'll be on the move within three days. Make sure your men are ready until then."

"Acknowledged, Supreme General. We'll be standing by, awaiting your signal."

After the call was ended, the superior walked back into the base camp and gathered everyone's attention using an intercom, "Attention all units! As you may know, our path to the Candy Kingdom is almost safe to travel. I'm sure all of you are grateful that the wait will not take much longer. Until then, I want this base in top shape when our ruler arrives."

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, far beneath the palace of the Candy Kingdom was an underground facility. It was constructed entirely of a metal interior that was installed with advanced computers. Princess Bubblegum usually conducted secret experiments in this area that might have seemed too controversial to the general public. In one room contained research files regarding genetics. It contained the last copy of formulas and handout procedures used to manufacture candy zombies, while another file showed the development of the two telekinetic sphinxes, Goliad and Stormo. Other documents included studies of cloning regarding food and candy life, but there were more secrets the sugar princess withheld.<p>

Further down one of the corridors was an underground hangar that contained restored military vehicles from the Mushroom War. A wide range of tanks and armored carriers scattered the vast area. Near one of the adjacent walls were tables that held a collection of rifles and ammunition. It wasn't hard for Bubblegum to reverse-engineer them nor was it difficult to duplicate everything into mass production. Only her kingdom possessed these exclusively. She wanted to make sure her troops had a significant advantage if they ever were to fight against a superior military, which was apparently present in this case. With the fiery army approaching soon, PB knew that her men would be given a fighting chance to test their new weapons on the day of the second battle.

In another room, a lone prisoner was screaming in agony. He couldn't tell how long he was imprisoned there as volts of electricity coursed through his body. Had it been weeks or months? He couldn't tell. The room was filled with nothing but darkness to disorient the prisoner's sense of time.

From one of the walls was a one-way glass window. Two silhouettes observed the ordeal with neutral expressions.

"He seems to be resisting still," the shorter figure said.

"Extraordinary, he has truly proven to be a resilient specimen thus far. Alright, let's double the voltage. I'll keep an eye on his vital signs."

The sound of more screaming followed afterward. Moments later, the electrocution ceased.

"Stay here, I'll go talk to him," the taller one instructed.

Finn panted excessively as he was given a chance to recover. His chest heaved and his throat was sore. He shook his head a couple times to cope with the pain, but it was slowly taking its toll. Suddenly, he heard the door open nearby and squeezed his eyes shut as the lights were quickly switched on. After recovering from his temporary blindness, he saw the pink monarch staring at him with a pitiful expression.

"Still resisting I see," Bubblegum asked. She shrugged indifferently, "No matter. You'll become nothing more than a mindless pawn when this is over."

Finn glared at her and answered in a hoarse voice, "If you think for one second I will give up and join you, then you've got another thing coming!"

She waved her hand in dismissal, "Pfft, please. I'll know when I see it for myself. Your word is subjective, but the results are not. I'm just here to tell you that you won't be going anywhere, anytime soon. Even after this brainwashing, I'll be conducting more experiments on you in the near future. I just want you to know that you should expect nothing more but pain."

"I'd rather die than turn into some monster," he said defiantly.

PB shook her head, "You're no good to me dead. A man of your capabilities is too invaluable to be lost. In time, the world will understand my efforts as you support my cause." She looked towards the window and nodded, "Run it again, Peppermint!"

Once again, Finn's cries of agony echoed around the room. The princess watched in sadistic amusement as her glasses showed the reflection of the human's suffering.

* * *

><p>Back at the Fire Kingdom palace, Phoebe starred at her reflection in her personal bathroom. She still wore her royal armor, but she placed her crown nearby on the counter. Her brother informed her just a while ago about the army's status. In a few days, the fiery monarch would make a public appearance towards the Grasslands. She wasn't really keen on the idea of losing more people from the war, but she carried it out to appeal to the majority. She looked down in thought. There had to be something to end this war without further bloodshed. She searched more in her head until an idea surfaced.<p>

Phoebe lifted her head in realization, "I know what I have to do." She left the bathroom and walked towards her desk and began drafting a peace treaty with urgency.

Hours passed and it was almost midnight as the fiery monarch continued her writing. She paused several times to check for loopholes and made sure the document looked presentable. She leaned her cheek on her right hand as she read her paperwork thoroughly. A few moments later, Phoebe sighed in frustration and rubbed her eyes.

"(yawn) I hate it when time goes by so fast," she said to herself. She tried to pick up her pen to write more, but her mind kept telling her she needed rest. With a reluctant sigh, the young monarch removed her armor until she was left in a white casual dress and collapsed on the bed shortly after.

"I need to finish the draft," she repeated in her mind, dozing off. "I must, for the lives of my people..."

* * *

><p><strong>nightmaster000<strong>: Thanks!

**dfinkel70**: It's only getting worse for him I'm afraid.

**OMAC001**: Indeed.

**Ooobserver**: Expect the worst...


	9. Striving for Peace

The next day, Phoebe woke up in her bed and rubbed her eyes. She got up and stretched her arms and back, ready to start the morning. Her gaze darted over to the desk where she left her paperwork, but shook her head to herself.

"I need to wash up and have breakfast first," she said in her thoughts.

The fire elemental plopped her dress on the floor as she stepped inside the magma shower. Yesterday was a long day like any other, but her mind kept on dwelling about the oncoming second battle. She ran her hands through her hair and shoulders to relax her muscles. Phoebe was always stressed when she governed her kingdom, but the war added more than she could typically handle. She spent her past days coordinating her defense forces on the homeland while keeping track of her older brother's offensive strategies. There wasn't really any room for Phoebe to have time for herself, but when she did, she made the most of it to unwind.

"Work," Phoebe thought bitterly. "That's always been the only thing I've ever had time for."

It made her depressed knowing that she was handling her royal responsibilities alone. She missed going back to the outside world, having fun, and just being carefree. Although she traveled outside of the kingdom several times already, it didn't feel the same since all of her trips were work-related. The change of scenery usually helped with her emotions, but the current conflict was too overwhelming to ignore. Perhaps when the war ends she could finally take a break from her obligations. Of course she expected there would be more duties involved even after the fact, but she would still have the chance to take a break nonetheless.

Phoebe rested both of her hands on the tile wall as she leaned forward under the shower splay. A soothing sensation coursed through her body as she let out an audible sigh. Then, she stood back up and threw her hair back. The shower head was shut off moments later as she wiped herself dry with a nearby towel. She dressed herself back into her royal armor again quickly and stared at the mirror.

"You can do this," she said to herself with a look of determination.

After leaving the bathroom, the young ruler picked up her cell and began making a call.

"Good morning, your majesty," Cinnamon Bun answered. "What can I do for you?"

"Good morning, CB. I was wondering if I can have my breakfast delivered to my chambers if that's okay."

His eyebrows lifted in surprise, "Uh, sure. Not at all, princess! I'll have it brought to you in about 15 minutes."

"Thanks, CB," she hung up her phone.

"Weird," the pastry thought. "Usually she tries to skip breakfast and I have to be the one to talk her out of it. I wonder what came over her now."

And so, Phoebe meditated as she waited for her first meal of the day. She found peace and tranquility whenever she did this, and it tremendously helped her to maintain a healthy state of mind.

Suddenly, she flicked her eyes open when she heard someone at the door knocking.

"Your highness," CB said. "Your food is ready!"

"Thanks, I'll be right over in a sec." She stood up and approached the door.

The pastry guardian walked inside with a food tray in his hands. He looked around briefly until he found the coffee table and placed the food there. Then, he pulled a chair for his ruler and ushered her to sit. Phoebe nodded and unrolled her napkin that had the utensils and prepared to eat.

CB lifted the tray cover and scratched his head on the side, "I wasn't sure if you wanted to eat a lot or anything so I just ordered the kitchen staff to make somethin' light."

Phoebe shook her head, "No, this is the right amount. Thank you again."

He bowed, "Anytime. If you need anything else, just let me know. I'll be outside at the door."

She nodded and wiped her face after chewing, "Actually, I've been working on something very important lately that I need your help. I'll tell you more about it later after I'm done."

"Certainly, just take your time and eat slow."

* * *

><p>At the Candy Kingdom, Princess Bubblegum and Peppermint Butler were conducting tests on their latest experiment.<p>

"Phase 1 of the process is complete. The subject is ready for additional tests," the candy butler said.

Bubblegum grinned as she reviewed her notes on a clipboard, "Excellent, let's not waste any time and initiate phase 2 at once!" She looked through several monitors that indicated Finn's vital signs and brain activity. Then she picked up a syringe nearby filled with a green liquid and carefully injected the serum into Finn's neck.

Seconds later, Finn's eyes shot open and let out a bloodcurdling scream. His muscles tensed and his body began sweating instantly. The candy monarch fought hard to maintain her composure and quickly searched for another syringe nearby. After a split second, she swiftly injected the next serum on Finn's chest. The results were almost instantaneous as his body became motionless.

PB wiped her brow in relief, "The serum and sedative have been successfully administered. Now we just need to let nature take its course.

"Have you done this before," Peppermint asked.

She frowned, "I've tried performing this experiment several times with other lifeforms but none of them were successful. Genetic manipulation is an **extremely** delicate process, but I've spent a lot of time and money to make sure the data is consistent. I believe we'll be receiving satisfactory results when the time comes. It's just a matter of when."

"Do you think we'll be able to finish this project in time," he asked skeptically.

PB answered with confidence, "Of course. My defense forces will be armed with superior weaponry to buy us all the time we need. I even have my trusted knight, Rattleballs stationed at the border to keep the Fire Army at bay. And on top of that, I've seen him reconstruct a squad of elite guards in secret. They will surely be a fine asset for me to keep this war in my favor."

"I see," the mint acknowledged.

The candy monarch lifted her head, "You go on ahead and take a break, Peppermint. Check on the troops and see to it that the weapons delivery meets its schedule. I'll stay here and continue my research in the meantime."

* * *

><p>Cinnamon Bun shifted his eyes left and right as he studied Phoebe's paperwork. He read everything from top to bottom at least three times until he finally set them down on the desk.<p>

"Well, this seems pretty good," he said. He brushed his finger over a few lines and nodded.

"You do," Phoebe asked with a hopeful expression.

"Yes, you want to end this war early on a peaceful accord in effort to preserve the lives of our military. Their families will be grateful for this and we might even gain more appeal from Ooo's leaders than we already have. The only thing I'm concerned though is how your brother might react to this. Knowing him, he will not be pleased with this proposition."

The elemental shrugged, "I figured as much too, but I'm sure he'll fall in line. He knows better than to challenge my authority and I'm sure he will respect my decision nonetheless. I'm actually worried that Bonnibel would not be willing to accept my offer more so than anything."

CB placed a hand near his mouth in thought, "Yeah, it is hard for me to imagine if she'll stand down. I would have thought her expertise as a ruler would have helped her consider making the right choices, but so far she has proven otherwise. And I know this isn't exactly something you would like to hear." He bowed his head solemnly.

Phoebe comforted him with a hand on his shoulder, "I appreciate your honesty, CB. I have my doubts too, but I'm praying to Grod it will not come to that. She showed me that she was capable of change after the incident, even though it was brief. I just need to find that same person within her and believe in myself."

He smiled tenderly, "Still determined to save everyone? The Fire Kingdom is truly fortunate to have a benevolent ruler like you."

She returned the smile as she chuckled lightly, "Thanks, I've learned that from someone a long time ago actually." Her expression faded as she stared off into the balcony. "I just wonder where he is now that I think about it," her voice trailed off in longing.

Little did she know, she placed her right hand over her heart.

* * *

><p><strong>dfinkel70<strong>: What?! Those kinds of things would have changed this to an M rating right off the bat! (shudders)

**Pjbunny13**: Thank you!

**Smokey The Slayer**: Finn's pain is enormous and I'm afraid PB will not have such a fate in your case. Oh, and thanks for your support by the way!

**Writingsterner**: Hey, look who it is! Glad you could join us.

**Deu2Ex**: Actually, I don't have any hard feelings towards Finn as of late. Maybe I did from "Red Throne", but that was old news. His recent interaction with PB from the last episode had nothing to do with it either. Even if it did, it wouldn't be strong enough. Anyway, thanks for the review. I don't want to give out spoilers, but anything can happen.


	10. Brother vs Sister

Two days have passed since Phoebe finished the treaty. Her brother informed her the mine sweep was nearly complete and that the troops were prepared for battle. It wouldn't be long for her to make her trip towards the Grasslands. She anticipated she would be engaging in long, stressful conversations with the Supreme General as well as Princess Bubblegum. As far as she knew, neither of them were easy to talk to when it came to disagreements, but Phoebe anticipated they would become reasonable in the end.

Aside from the daily concerns of war, Phoebe couldn't help but wonder about her long lost friend. It was ironic that it never crossed her mind until the moment Cinnamon Bun complimented her character as a leader recently. What was once dormant beneath her thoughts was now surfacing on her heart. No matter how hard she tried, her concerns for a certain human continued to grow stronger.

"Soon," Phoebe resolved in front of the mirror. "I'll find him after this is over... I need to know if he's still okay."

The fiery woman took on a look of determination moments later. She spotted her crown nearby the dresser and placed it upon her head. The hour was approaching as she heard her subjects rushing around the palace.

Phoebe took a deep breath as she opened the door. In the hallway were 8 honor guards assembled in a column formation with each half lining alongside the opposite walls. They saluted to their monarch upon greeting and rested their spears on their right shoulder. Phoebe returned the salute and placed them at ease and began making her exit. As she walked, several of her representatives followed along with her two cousins.

"Furnius, Torcho, you two are in charge during my leave," Phoebe instructed. "I'm going to do the best I can to see if I can end this war today."

Furnius bowed, "As you wish, your majesty."

"Take care, cousin. And good luck," Torcho said.

The monarch expressed a small smile. There was a time when she and her siblings were bitter among each other. The princes resented her initially because she was the daughter of the man who killed their father for the throne. Even after she set them free from their past imprisonment, the cousins plotted to overthrow her. They made thorough preparations to set everything in motion. However, right near the last minute, they were conflicted. They might have succeeded in regaining their power, but at what cost? Their father was a wise ruler who held the people in high regard. When they looked back at Phoebe's accomplishments, they realized she shared the same compassion for the kingdom too. From there, Furnius and Torcho decided to abandon their previous intentions and seek reconciliation with Phoebe. In time, the three worked out an understanding and the cousins accepted Phoebe's status as the new ruler.

The fiery monarch walked outside the palace to make her departure. Guards and citizens alike gathered around wearing looks of hope and desperation. They were all aware of her strong capabilities as a fighter, but they still worried for her well-being.

The young woman continued down in a straight line until she met her pastry guardian mounted on a fire wolf.

"Today's the day," Cinnamon Bun said. He held out a hand, "Ready to make history?"

Phoebe nodded as she accepted his hand and mounted on Jake 2. In seconds, the people cleared a path down the main street as the hound picked up speed and flew into the air. The crowd waved and wished them safe travels. Once they disappeared off into the distance, the crowd dispersed moments later.

* * *

><p>"Major," the Supreme General said. "Think we'll be expecting trouble from him?"<p>

Maddox placed his binoculars down, shaking his head, "No, sir. Intel reports that the Ice King was spotted flying away from the mountains with a lone vampire several days ago. I've sent a scout to keep tabs in case he returned but so far there's been no activity."

The superior straightened his posture, "He's gone. Tell Flambo that he's done a great job and that he could go home. In the meantime, I'll run another last minute inspection around the base before my sister arrives. It won't be long now."

Ten minutes later, the fire troops assembled in massive column formations. The base was utterly silent as they awaited their ruler to make an appearance. A cough or a sneeze were muffled at some moments, but overall no one made conversation.

Finally, Jake 2 arrived at the Grasslands. After he landed, Phoebe and Cinnamon Bun dismounted and greeted Maddox and the general.

"Welcome to the Grasslands, your majesty," her older brother said.

"It's good to see you," Phoebe replied as she gave him a quick hug.

"The armies are assembled to lay waste upon the Candy Kingdom once and for all," he said with a proud smile. "Soon we'll emerge victorious!"

Phoebe expressed a fake smile and started moving, "Yeah! Hey, let's talk more about this in private."

He nodded, "Of course, follow me."

Here it was. Phoebe had to express her next plan to her brother as they both went inside the command post tent. She took a deep breath and prepared herself for the inevitable argument her brother would surely pose. He looked at her expectantly with his shoulders back and noticed she felt uncertain about something.

"What is troubling you, sister," he asked. For most of his life in the military, he always held a mild demeanor whether he was angry or not. It wasn't easy for his siblings especially his younger brothers to communicate with him, but he still cared for his family nonetheless.

"It's about the invasion," Phoebe answered carefully. "I want to establish communications with Bonnibel to issue a final warning."

He narrowed his eyes, "Wait a second... you're telling me that you want to try diplomacy after everything that's happened, am I right?"

She nodded in determination, "Yes."

His flames intensified and slammed the table nearby, "It's too late for that now! You've had your chance a week ago to stop this war from happening and you failed! I.. I can't believe I'm hearing this," he said shaking his head repeatedly in disbelief.

Phoebe yelled, "I'm trying to end this war without further bloodshed! We've already proven to the world we are the better people compared to Bubblegum's. I just want to see our troops return home and be safe with their families."

"We've put in a lot of time and effort to launch one of the biggest military campaigns in Fire Kingdom history," he seethed. "I feel like I can literally grasp the clutches of victory if you would just let me!"

"There is victory through peace," she countered. "We may be justified to declare war on the Candy Kingdom, but at what cost? Thousands if not millions of lives would perish when they could have done something more productive."

He remained upset, but silent.

Phoebe continued, "History has always depicted us as nothing but a savage force of nature. But that ended quickly when I usurped my father. Since my leadership, I've opened our borders to the neighboring kingdoms and have helped them understand we can be peaceful and mutual among them. Because of that, we've reached new levels of success than our people could ever imagine. I don't want to jeopardize our people's lives and reputation when I know there is a solution beforehand."

"With all due respect, sister. I believe you are making a foolish mistake. You are depriving not just me but the entire military their retaliation to avenge the fellow citizens we have lost from the catastrophe!"

"Our focus is to Bonnibel," Phoebe said firmly. "I will not send further generations of our sons and fathers into certain death, nor permit the annihilation of an entire civilization for her mistakes. **She** is the one to be held accountable for her actions, not her people. We can accomplish more for the benefit of our kingdom by using nonviolent means."

"Just a while ago, you ordered the attack without hesitation. So why the sudden change of plans," he asked critically.

She answered, "Because I didn't realize how grave this war could be for everybody until the last minute."

"And this is something that you're willing to back up?"

"Every fiber of my being," she replied with conviction.

He looked at her intently for a few moments until he nodded in acceptance, "Alright, I'll respect your decision despite having a strong disagreement on the matter. This IS what you honestly want for everyone's interests and you are my leader."

Phoebe nodded in affirmation.

Her brother continued, "I'm a soldier. I live and thrive for battle. But, in the end, I must follow your orders too." He let out a tender smile.

She relaxed her shoulders in relief, "Thanks, brother."

The two hugged briefly to settle their argument. Once they parted, the general said, "Well, let's hope your plan works. I have a feeling you'll need more persistence with Bonnibel if you are to.. 'cancel' this glorious conflict."

"Brother!" Phoebe chided.

He lifted an apologetic hand. "Sorry, you know how I am," he said cheekily.

* * *

><p><strong>dfinkel70<strong>: As far as I know, Finn still has his fingers and bones intact unlike his counterpart from that other story (yes, I've read it). His torture in my story though will cease... eventually. (shrugs) Pot of gold? Maybe.

**Deu2Ex**: Looks like I've successfully made her a plausible villain judging by your reaction. And don't worry, long reviews just let me know that I've made something worth talking about. Thanks!

**Writingsterner**: The odds are uncertain no doubt. All we can do is hope.

**guest**: Thanks! Finn will just have to survive in the meantime.

**Sleepy BrownBear**: Glad I can make a story worth reading. You can always check my other works and/or the ones in my favorites list if you're ever interested.

**Ooobserver**: Wendy's huh? Best comfort food I had from there were the spicy nuggets with sweet & sour sauce. Anyway, there will be more to follow.

**OMAC001**: PB is up to no good and maybe Finn doesn't wanna be saved...


End file.
